Police arrest 8 human traffickers in Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh

Law enforcement agencies yesterday arrested eight alleged human traffickers from Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.

Police nabbed three “human traffickers” and rescued two India-bound victims from Bank Colony area under EPZ Police Station in Chittagong city, a staff correspondent of Chittagong reports.

The arrestees are Mohammad Selim, 25, of Bagerhat, Mohammad Ali, 19, of Jhalakathi, and Helal Uddin Rana, 21, of Pirojpur.

Police rescued Rakib Hossain, 27, of Shariatpur and Mohammad Hasan, 18, of Jhalakathi, who were supposed to be “trafficked” to Bangalore of India through a border in Bagerhat. The two lives in the EPZ area.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided Bank Colony area around 10:30am and picked up the five from Rana's house, said Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of EPZ Police Station. 

The rescued victims were supposed to be sent to one Mamun in Bagerhat bus stand area yesterday. Later, Mamun would send them to one Monir in Bangalore through a border in Bagerhat, said the police official, quoting the victims.

Selim, Ali and Rana were jointly supposed to get Tk 10,000 from Mamun for each of the victims, he said.

The victims were lured into going to Bangalore with promises of jobs with monthly salaries of Tk 25,000 to 30,000, the OC said.

However, the “human traffickers” did not demand any money from the India-bound people, he added.

In another incident, five more “human traffickers” were held in Cox's Bazar Sadar and Teknaf upazilas, reports our district correspondent, quoting police and Rab.

Around 9:45am, police nabbed three “listed human traffickers” -- Kala Mia, Samsul Alam and Shafi Alam -- from Nilar Leda village of Teknaf upazila, said Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Model Police Station.

A Rab team arrested Nur Hafez and Hasan Sharif from Khodaibari village of Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila early yesterday for their alleged involvement in human trafficking, said Maj Ziaur Rahman, company commander of Cox's Bazar Rab camp.